CHARLEY LAU'S ABSOLUTES OF HITTING

 

 

1. A balanced, workable stance. All good athletes are balanced most of the time.

A balanced stance gives you a solid, comfortable base to work from, helps

Reduce tension and fear, and makes possible most of the other Absolutes.

 

 

2. Rhythm and movement in the stance. Although it isn’t always obvious, good

hitters always have some kind of movement in the stance. They’re like a car

with its engine idling just before you pop the clutch. They can thus be quicker

and shift their weight more effectively than someone who stands dead still.

 

 

3. A good weight shift from a firm, rigid backside forward to hit from a firm,

rigid frontside. A hitter must shift his weight back in order to go forward.

Balance and rhythm make this possible. Generally, the better the weight shift,

the harder you hit the ball.

 

4. Striding with the front toe closed. Striding with the front toe pointing out at

the pitcher pulls you out of position, causes your hip to open, and throws off

the mechanics of your swing.

 

 

5. Having the bat in the launching position at the moment the front foot touches

down. It’s hard to see with the naked eye, but no matter where the bat is

when they’re in their stance, all good hitters have it in the launching position

when their front foot completes the stride. They all step to swing. They

never combine the two motions.

 

 

6. Making a positive, aggressive motion back toward the pitcher. That’s where

the ball’s coming from and that’s where you should try to hit it back. Good

hitters go into the ball to hit it.

 

 

7. A tension-free swing. An enemy of his own creation, tension is one of a batter’s

biggest problems. It prevents full extension; it causes your head to move the

wrong way; and it destroys the fluid, graceful swing that’s ideal for hitting the ball.

 

 

8. Putting your head down when you swing. Good hitters see the ball longer and

more often than poor hitters. And the reason good hitters do is that they

lower their heads to watch the ball at the moment of contact. This is the most

important Absolute of all, but it’s impossible to do if you’re not balanced or

if you’re tense.

 

 

9. Using the whole field to hit in. Only rarely will a good hitter limit himself

by trying to pull the ball. Historically, as well as today, good hitters have hit

to all fields. And in so doing, they have also gotten plenty of home runs

without being crippled by tension and the other problems that afflict home-

run-conscious hitters.

 

 

10. Hit through the ball. A good follow through is essential to hitting the ball

well.  You can’t afford to stop short or slack off at the last part of the swing. If

you quit too soon, if you don’t hit through the ball, none of the other Absolutes

will do you much good.